Limitations on Temporary Housing — Find out if there are limits on how much or how long your policy will cover temporary housing while you repair or rebuild your home.

Replacement Cost — Confirm your coverage is adequate in the event your home is completely destroyed; policies often place a cap on replacement cost. Find out from a local builder if there have been substantial increases in materials and labor costs.

Changes to Building Codes — Consider adding ordinance and law coverage to avoid situations in which you aren’t covered for required upgrades to undamaged parts of your home to meet the current building codes.

Extended Absence Coverage — Review your policy to find out if your extended vacation could potentially void your policy. You may need to take additional steps to protect against damage while you are away or obtain special unoccupied property insurance.

The Design Inspiration — Stick with a neutral or pastel color palette, integrating a variety of textures and materials, like an ultra-smooth glass wall tile with tumbled round rocks for the shower.

The Spa Centerpiece — Use an oversized bathtub as the centerpiece of your home spa. Options range from air baths to more traditional whirlpool baths with massaging jets. Consider upgrading to include music or chromatherapy.

Location, Location, Location! — Consider the factors that will increase the price of either renting or buying: proximity to the city, style and size, location on or near the water.

Nearby Amenities — Decide what amenities are important to you. Are you interested in being close to a small community complete with a grocery store, or is boat-only access in the remote wilderness more your style?

Wildlife Considerations — Research the area to find out if there are any wildlife problems. Are you going into bear country where food and garbage need to be locked down? Is there a rodent problem in that particular area?

Seasonal Fire Restrictions — Check to see if there are any seasonal fire restrictions, especially if your idea of a getaway includes telling ghost stories and roasting marshmallows around a campfire.

Neighborhood Considerations — Do a little research into the neighborhood. Does the area you are considering attract a lot of young partygoers, or will the constant drone of motorized watercraft ruin your tranquil lakeside retreat?

Wish List — Divide your wish list into must-haves and nice-to-haves so you know where you are willing to compromise. Are you looking for a luxury home on a lake or an off-the-grid cabin in the woods?

French for “kitchen garden,” a jardin potager is an ornamental vegetable garden that combines edible herbs and vegetables with flowers and other aesthetic elements to create a garden that is both functional and beautiful.

Build Raised Beds — Design your kitchen garden as a series of raised beds or garden containers with gravel or mulch paths in between to allow easy access. Build your raised beds to allow for a minimum of six inches of soil depth, up to three feet or higher.

Design Plant Groupings — Decide which vegetables you want to grow and plant in companion groupings with one group in each raised bed. This will allow for easy crop rotation, which helps keep the soil fertile and protects against diseases and pests.

Add Color and Form — Plant edible herbs and flowers in between your vegetable clusters, making sure to arrange by height. Includenatural pest controllers such as marigolds, nasturtiums, lavender, clover and chrysanthemums.

Include Vertical Elements — Use tepees and trellises to support plants and add an aesthetic element to your garden space. Vegetables that benefit from vertical gardening include tomatoes, peas and beans, cucumbers, squashes and melons.

Create Enjoyment Areas — Don’t forget to build in a place to sit and enjoy your beautiful kitchen garden. Build an arbor to create a shaded area for afternoon tea or tuck a park bench into a quiet corner.